𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑮𝑶𝑶𝑫 𝑮𝑼𝒀 ❦ Rick Grimes

- twenty seven

WARNING: minor mention of nonconsensual acts

— ACT ONE OF THREE —
NO PLACE LIKE HOME

chapter twenty seven | time jump

COUGHING loudly, Sadie threw T-Dog a dirty look. "You're a damn cheater is what you are."

T-Dog laughed loudly, "Me? No, honey, I just know how to play poker."

Sadie rolled her eyes. While she'd never played Poker before, she'd watch the game plenty of times when her father would have his friends come around. By the age of fourteen, Sadie had taken on her mother's role in all ways.

It was a time she had since long forgotten. Memories that were buried deep within her that she locked and the key was no where to be found.

Daryl never forgot. While he wasn't much older than Sadie at the time, he would do anything to take back what her father put her through. He knew she'd never admit that she was afraid of what lured in the dark. Her monsters were real, they didn't just hide in the closet or under the bed.

Now, it seemed, the monsters came out in the sunlight.

Rick, Glenn, and Daryl had gone on a run into town leaving the others back at the cabin. Snow had fallen from the sky on and off all day.

"It's feeling more and more like Christmas." Carl beamed as he tried on his new hat that Carol knitted.

"Try like three more weeks, kid." Sadie scoffed, laying down a card. Since they left the farm, Sadie had been trying to keep up with holidays and time. While she was sure she was off on her count, it felt nice to have some track of time.

As Carl stuck his tongue out at Sadie, the group laughed at his childish antics. Lori sat there, a hand on her small bump, with a proud look in her eyes.

Carl and his mother had come a long way. Sadie was almost jealous of their relationship as her own mother never had that sort of relationship with her. Sadie swore to herself if she ever had a child, she would never make them feel anything less than loved and appreciated.

"Uh, guys?" Beth said with a shaky tone.

Sadie hated that tone.

As Sadie stood up to look out the window, she saw a couple of dozen Walker's approaching their home.

"Can we handle that?" Maggie asked her.

Sadie looked around the living room of the cabin they'd been holed up in for weeks.

"Shit. . ." She muttered to herself. "Gather your things, we're gettin' the fuck outta here."

Once the decision was made, Sadie wasn't sure she'd made the right one. Her, Maggie, and T-Dog could very well handle the herd, but it was the others she worried about.

"We can't just leave Rick and the others out there." Carol argued. Sadie raised a brow. She was one that Sadie worried about. While Carol had a motherly oversight upon the group, Sadie knew she could barely shoot her handgun.

"And we're not," Sadie sneered, "They didn't leave that long ago, we can catch up with them in town."

"We're doing what Sadie says, alright? Let's get a move on." Lori replied, nodding towards the brunette.